Cloth Nappy Making #5

[maz]

Gigi - I got my velour from greenbeans. im not sure i its bamboo so im gonna have to check it out again. Will defently make some liners some time soon...have a very unsettled Mateauz and all I keep thinking is...i wish I could stick him on my BB to help. Im not sure what training pattern it is..but if I make one, will send one your way hun

Fiona - I didnt realise Pfaff's were that cheap...hmmmm take mental note

Mel - gonna go and have a looksie at your maxiswirl colours and see if there are any that I dont have yet :ROFL; im so addicted to them..oh and hun thank you got the material today adn the other is fantastic.

[*Efjay*]

Maz, Im pretty sure what I got was the end of the current model for that price. That was also almost 2 yrs ago. I think the price did jump a couple of hundred for the new model (that was the same) then the next up etc.

[jgal]

Wow, it's been chatty in here! Love it!! All thgis nappy chat keeps me inspired.

Maz - thanks for the tip on the maxi swirl. I have Mel's store bookmarked as a favourite now - that minkee came faster than I could blink my eyes, and it's gorgeous!!

Sunshine great choice on the sewing machine. I nearly got that one myself as the lady at the sewing shop tried to sell it to me on the "Quilter's Choice" aspect. Instead I chose the more expensive one - 2nd from top before going to a combined embroidery/sewing machine in one. My friend has the QC and loves it. I only decided to go higher up as DH said to me to get the best and not worry about the money as he knows how much I sew. Plus I liked the idea of a wide neck (for shoving quilts through) and wide metal base (again for the quilts). I could have gone top of the range, but the only difference I could see was a built in walking foot, and I like to change feet all the time for different things. Hmmm.. yes, quilting is a little more complicated than that.. but I'll let you off



Gigi I got my bamboo fleece and velour from the bamboo fabric store. I can't remember where I got my last lot of bamboo fleece from (maybe a coop?) but I think I liked that stuff better. It was whiter, and not a brushed flleece (so all the loops were on the back rather than it being fluffy). The stuff from the bamboo store is thinner feeling and fluffy on the one side. With the unbrushed stuff I quite like it with the smooth side in, but this new stuff I will be sewing fluffy side in as I think it will retain it's fluff a bit better that way. I have sewn all my hemp inserts with the loop side in, but again I have always had hemp TERRY (unbrushed fleece) rather than fleece. All of Austy's inserts have been hanging around siunce he switched to medium pockets at about 2 months old, and he's only weeks off 3. They have all held together well and no lumpy bits. I prefer unbrushed fleece because I am sure you loose absorbency when they brush the loops out - I can imagine the fluff that would come off.

Fiona Clear feet are fantastic for top stitching aren't they!? My new machine's walking foot is clear and more open toed so very easy to see where I am sewing. I sewed all my nappies for AUsty on my old $299 basic Janome without a problem but must admit it's mnuch nicer and easier to get a professional finish with the new machine. If you scroll down on my blog you will see a pic of my mnachine with a quilt undre it, and slightly further a quilted cushion cover that I embroidered with Austin's name. ETA: Wow - not long to go now and you'll have a gorgeous newborn to cuddle!!!

Velour I got some nice stuff at Spotlight of all places (just cotton velour). I have never seen it there before and they only had mint and pale blue but I grabbed a couple of metres and am really happy with it. The bamboo velour from tghe bamboo fabric store has a bit more of a sheen to it, and VERY soft. I al,most feel it's a waste making nappies from it - I can imagine some beautiful soft baby clothes with it. But a friend told me she used bamboo velour once to line minkee nappies and she found it went a bit "crispy" after a few washes. I am wondering if it is the urine that does that though and it would be fine for clothes. Anyone know?

I should be finishing a mini quilt for a swap tonight but have stayed home from work with a cold and am quite happily sitting on the couch knitting a soaker for bubs. Once I get started with one of those I just want to knit it tillk the end!

Any more interest in the fabric swap???

[*Efjay*]

I had that same Velour I think. I got a candy pink, apple green (once) & a cornflower blue. I think it was about $10 a meter but a massive 160cm wide. I had heaps & heaps of it LOL

eta- I had a quick look over your craft blog the other day (snooping to see who you are LOL)But just had a better scroll & wow your very talented. Love your kitty cat too!, naughty boy inthe bassinet. Mine cats learnt very early about not doing that!
Your nappies look fantastic too!

[Gigi]

i've only bought the cotton velour that Spotlight sold MELBEL. i do find it tricky to sew with. it was especially tricky using it as a backing for bibs. i think it might be the same as what FJ got, cos those colours sound like what i got. but i got some other strong bright colours too, maybe from nappies covered, unsure now.

good to hear there are different grades of it, e.g at FF.

FJ - i just LOVE the clear foot! i think the machine i looked at DIDN"T have a clear foot and that put me off!. cos i asked, could i pay extra for a clear foot!! it's been a few months since i looked at machines, i'm getting mixed up, with which machine had what!

[~Raven~]

Maz that is bamboo velour from greenbeanz that we got.
jgal the velour that I've used from BFS does go a bit stiff after a while I have found. Also it has developed a bald patch

My SL never got cotton velour (or the staff I asked over the course of a few weeks after FJ got hers were totally clueless). I have some coming that I ordered through bubblebubs that has been on the way for weeks now. I think the ship is still coming as it was a preorder!

FJ my new sewing machine has a sack of feet too. I'm quite smitten with the 1/4 inch one. Makes top stitching a dream Check out if you have one of those ones too.

Sarah the way to tell if the bamboo has been washed is to rub it between your fingers and if you feel there is a feeling on your fingers of a residue then it hasn't been. After handling so much of it doing two co-ops I find it easier to tell that way. I still have some unwashed too.
If you're still not sure then the pile on the fleece will be a tad fluffier and the fibres can look a little clumped together in spots. Best to wash it again to be on the safe side because if it shrinks after you sew it will look out of shape and the size will be wrong. I'm sure the manufacturers said allow 1-2cm per metre for shrinkage so it could be an issue.

All this sewing talk has got me rearing to finish off the stuff I have got cut out but I have a busy weekend coming up with a housefull of visitors (hmmm don't go there...if they weren't such nice people I would have told DH to stick it!). Too much to do unfortunately.

[maz]

Im gonna get a clear foot now for my sewing machine...i never realised one existed.

gigi - did you wnat a cut of bamboo velour hone? IM more then happy to send you some as i owe you big time anyway for sedningyou the wrong SB

have a very unhappy little guy atm. tooth number 2 looks like its cut but he's a big mama's boy so BBL

[Shanti]

Where do you buy a cheap "snap" machine? is that what it's called?? the machine that makes the snaps for the MCNs you know what i mean.... any websites i can look at? TIA

Also, to make a decent MCN look good, do you girls all have over lockers?? or can you get away with just a sewing machine??

[jgal]

Mel - I just noticed your sig - I think a huge CONGRATULATIONS! is in order....

[melbel]

why thank you jgal...very early days yet...lotsof knicker checking happening and stuff but fingers crossed this one sticks!!

[maz]

Any more interest in the fabric swap???

oh now wouldnt that be noice....what material are we talking about and how much

top idea

Sarah - Id get the pattern and work from that ...WTG on getting sutff done.

Ive gotta cut into some reindeer fleece today oh and some minkee...I so have the itch to sew its not funny. You girls are a bad influence

[jgal]

For the fabric swap I was thinking 3-4 nappy cuts of a selection of minkee, plain PUL, printed PUL, velour, microfeece, cotton knit jersey, quilters cotton (for those that like woven cotton outers). Each person involved would list

1) their preference for fabric type(s)
2) their preference for colours
3) what they would prefer NOT to receive (as they may have more than enough of a certain fabric or colour in their stash)
4) Whether it's for a boy/girl or prefer unisex stuff

You would send 3-4 DIFFERENT fabrics as the idea is to be able to make 3-4 different nappies since many of us buy fabric by the metre (or half metre) which means that without swapping we'd have a few nappies the same, or extra leftovers in our stash. The swap is designed to help us all have exciting new fabrics to sew with for each nappy. As a group we would select a date to send it out by so that everyone knows when to expect it to arrive.

How does that sound?

[maz]

Hmm sounds good...I dont have any PUL though..ive got quilters, flannel, minkee, fleece oh wait ive got some plain PUL here.......

We'd have to make it big nappy cuts to...say 50 x 50cm

[jgal]

That's okay Maz - I think everyone should list a few fabric preferences so that it's a bit easier. Even if you have to send two of the same fabric type you could make them different prints. Also if those who want to participate have something that they have a lot of (or none of) let me know by PM and I will try to match people up based on preferences.